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Minerva McGonagall
|Death= |Blood Status= Half-Blood |Other Names= |Family= Robert McGonagall (father) Isobel McGonagall (née Ross) (mother) Elphinstone Urquart (husband) Malcolm McGonagall (brother) Robert McGonagall Jr. (brother) Nieces and nephews Mr Ross (grandfather) Mrs Ross (grandmother) Minerva (great-grandmother) |School= Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry |School House= Gryffindor |Attendance= September 1947 - July 1954 |Wand= Nine and a half inches, Fir, Dragon Heartstring |Patronus= Cat |Animagus= Tabby Cat |Boggart= |Occupation = * Department of Magical Law Enforcement (unknown role, 1954 - 1956) * Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1956 , Chapter 15 (taking place in 1995) - How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" Professor Umbridge asked. "Thirty-nine years this December".}} - ) ** Transfiguration Professor (1956 - 1998) *** Head of Transfiguration Department (by 1991 - 1998) **Deputy Headteacher (by 1991 - 1998) **Headteacher (from 1998 - between 2008 and 2017 ) |Loyalty= Order of the Phoenix }} Minerva McGonagall (b. 4 October 1935) was a half-blood Scottish witch who became the Transfiguration Professor and later Headteacher of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An exceptional student of magical talent, she was made Prefect and Head Girl and had a particular talent for Transfiguration, becoming Animagus during her time at school. Later working for the Department of Magical Law for two years, she gave that up in favour of a teaching profession and took the job of Transfiguration teacher from her former teacher, Dumbledore when he became Headteacher. She proved to be a formidable force in both teaching, and the First and Second Wizarding War. Throughout her time teaching, she became Acting Head two times and when her student, Harry Potter won the Second Wizarding War, she became the permanent Headteacher for at least the next ten years. Biography Early Life Family Minerva McGonagall was the eldest child of Muggle Robert McGonagall and witch Isobel Ross. She was raised in Caithness in Scotland and named for her maternal grandmother, Minerva (an immensely talented witch) but her name was a shock for their Muggle community because it was an odd choice. Both Robert and Isobel loved their daughter, but Isobel noticed shortly after Minerva was born that she had magical talent. Minerva was able to move her toys, make Robert's bagpipes play a song which made Minerva laugh, and she was able to make the family cat do things before she could speak. But Robert had no idea Isobel was a witch and this made her worry that he would find out. She eventually told Robert, but even though he loved them, the news made him worry about the life of secrecy he now had to be part of and their trust was broken. Minerva was closer to Robert than Isobel and she took after him in many ways, but she knew growing up in a Muggle town was tough for her mother who missed being part of the wizarding world. When Minerva was eleven, she was sent an acceptance letter to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which made Isobel cry, and think fondly of the days she spent at the school. Education When Minerva began school in September 1947 and put on the Sorting Hat, she stood out for being a Hatstall between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. It took five and half minutes before the Sorting Hat finally placed her in Gryffindor. She was an outstanding student and the best in her year at least, and it was known that whether at the beginning or end of Minerva's education, Pomona Sprout attended at the same time for two of those years and developed a life-long friendship. She was taught Transfiguration by her favourite teacher, Albus Dumbledore, who she found inspirational and he guided her towards perfecting the skill of the Animagus, which was found to be the form of a tabby cat with the markings of spectacles around her eyes and her talent was noted by the Ministry of Magic. Minerva achieved top grades in her O.W.L. and N.E.W.T exams, was made Prefect and Head Girl, won Transfiguration Today's Most Promising Newcomer Award and she was a gifted Quidditch player. In her seventh year between September 1953 and June 1954, she played in the Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Slytherin when one Slytherin player caused her to fall on purpose and left her with concussion and broken ribs. From then on, she had hoped she one day watch Slytherin be crushed in a game. When she graduated, she gave up on playing Quidditch but kept updated on the fortunes of her house team and had a good eye for Quidditch talent. She spent one final summer at home before embarking on a career. Career Law career Minerva worked at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement from 1954 until 1956, when they made her an offer of employment. At the beginning of her law career at the age of 18, she met a Muggle farmer, Dougal McGregor and they fell in love. He eventually proposed in a ploughed field and she accepted, but worried about how to tell her parents of their engagement and how he would take the news of her being a witch which broke her parents marriage. This made her change her mind, and she later let Dougal know she was unable to marry him. From then on, Minerva was no longer enchanted by her profession. She missed Scotland and the anti-Muggle bias of many of her colleagues upset her because of her father and love for Dougal. However, she was fond her much older boss, Elphinstone Urquart and eventually she was given a prestigious promotion, but she would not take the promotion. Instead, she left her job and wrote to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to ask whether she would be able to teach. It took only a few hours before an owl arrived from the school offering her a job teaching Transfiguration under the Head of the Transfiguration Department, Dumbledore. Early teaching Minerva proved to be an excellent teacher and the school welcomed her back with open arms. She was a strict but fair teacher even in her early days of teaching from December 1956, and eventually made life-long friends at the school. Minerva was reunited with her old school friend, Professor Pomona Sprout and made good friends with Professor Filius Flitwick who had the same problem with the Sorting Hat when he was a student. He was also a Hatstall between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, but the Sorting Hat eventually went with Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor. Both she and Filius found it amusing they could have had each other place instead. However, Minerva's love for Dougal was enduring and she kept a box of letters from him. When she found out that he had married another farmer's daughter, she was devastated and Dumbledore found her crying one evening. He gave her comfort and wisdom and told her information about his own past of the family he hurt, and their confidant in each other formed a life-long friendship of mutual respect and love. Minerva had stayed in touch with her old boss, Elphinstone and he proposed to her one day in Madam Puddifoot's teashop but she declined. Elphinstone continued to propose to her many times over the years, but she would not out of love for Dougal. First Wizarding War Minerva found out from Rubeus Hagrid that Albus Dumbledore was planning to go to Privet Drive the day after Voldemort's defeat. She wanted to know why and waited the day by 4 Privet Drive in Animagus form. Minerva arrived in the morning and shocked Vernon Dursley when he was leaving 4 Privet Drive, when he noticed a cat reading a map. Minerva would later watch Petunia Dursley walk to the shop with Dudley and was shocked by Dudley kicking Petunia and demanding sweets. Dumbledore arrived near midnight and found Minerva waiting. Dumbledore wondered why she waited when she could be celebrating the downfall of Voldemort, but Minerva told him how unhappy she was with how the wizarding world have celebrated, because the Muggle world noticed and she blamed the shooting stars in Kent on Dedalus Diggle. Minerva then wondered whether Voldemort's downfall was true and that he actually died. Dumbledore eventually told her that it certainly looked that way while berating her for continuing to call Voldemort "You-Know-Who", telling her he thinks she's sensible enough not to fear the name. Minerva continued, now saying the proper name, telling Dumbledore that he only says the name because Voldemort feared Dumbledore and he could have defeated Voldemort if he tried the Dark Arts. Dumbledore then blushed and thanked Minerva. Minerva then brought up part of why she wanted to speak to him, because she was hoping that Dumbledore could tell her whether James and Lily actually died. She would not accept it to be true until Dumbledore told her for certain. Minerva was very upset when she found out they had indeed died, and worried about Harry and how he survived. Dumbledore comforted her and Minerva then asked again why he was at Privet Drive. Dumbledore told her that Harry was being brought there by Rubeus Hagrid to stay with the Muggle family at 4 Privet Drive. Minerva thought Hagrid may not be the best one to entrust Harry with, and she was shocked that he would leave Harry with them because of the way they acted, but accepted it when Dumbledore pointed out Harry would be better growing up without the attention of newfound fame. They were then joined by Hagrid and Harry and Minerva noted the lightning-shaped scar on Harry's forehead (the place that Voldemort tried to kill him). They then said goodbye, and Minerva told Hagrid to calm down when he started wailing, worried he would wake the Muggle neighbours. Dumbledore then said goodbye to Minerva, telling her to join a party, and she departed in Animagus form, unhappy that Dumbledore thought he could explain everything in a letter to the Dursley family. Peaceful years Marriage Shortly after Voldemort's defeat, Minerva found out that her former fiancé, Dougal had passed away and she no longer felt she had an obligation to him out of her love. When Elphinstone proposed again during a stroll, she accepted. He was no longer working and they married and purchased a cottage in Hogsmeade. She kept her maiden name which raised eyebrows in the wizarding community but they had a very happy marriage and life together. They no children but 3 years into their marriage, Elphinstone died from a Venomous Tentacula bite and no longer wanting to live alone, she moved back to the school. The Philosopher's Stone In September 1991, Harry Potter began attending Hogwarts and was taken to the oak door at the entrance of the school by Hagrid. When Hagrid knocked on the door with the first year students, Minerva opened the door and Harry had the immediate opinion that she was not a teacher to cross. Minerva took the children to the empty chamber, where she told them how they would be placed in one of the four houses, and told them about each house. She later led them to the Great Hall and placed the Hat on each child when she called their name. Minerva later joined the teachers at the High Table for the Start-of-Term Feast. Harry knew from the beginning that Minerva was a strict and fair teacher who could sense trouble immediately. But when she saw Harry chase and catch a ball in Flying, rather than get angry he had no permission to fly on a broomstick, she gave him the role of Seeker for the House Quidditch team, making him the youngest Seeker in a century. Minerva was determined to win and hoped Harry would help them win the tournament that year. Appearance Character Notes and sources Category:Characters Category:Professors Category:Hatstalls Category:Witches